There’s no doubt that your 6-month-old loves to play, play, play. And playtime can be a great opportunity for them to practice their burgeoning motor and cognitive skills. To do that, and keep them engaged, you may want to have a few toys for 6-month-old babies at the ready.
“Six months old is the ideal time to introduce mirrors and personalized books or toys, as this is the age they start responding to their own name,” says Sarah Lytle, Ph.D., Executive Director of the Playful Learning Landscapes Action Network (PLLAN). Even seemingly basic interactions like imitating your baby’s coos and babbles count as play from birth to 6 months, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).
When looking for 6 month old toys, you can and should keep things simple. Look for items with interesting textures like fabric, feathers or tissues, or objects that make different sounds when manipulated. Ultimately, the best toys for 6-month-olds are those that will keep baby entertained and engaged, and help them grow developmentally.
How we chose the best toys for 6-month-olds
To find the best toys for 6-month-old babies, we spoke to three experts: Dr. Lytle, Ilan Shapiro, M.D., F.A.A.P., medical director of health and wellness at AltaMed Health Services, and Steven Abelowitz, M.D., F.A.A.P., regional medical director of Coastal Kids Pediatrics. We asked them about the most important features to look for in toys for 6-month-olds, based on what’s happening with their development and overall growth.
Considering their responses, as well as the feedback from parents in the What to Expect community, we reviewed and select the best toys based on the following criteria:
Developmentally-appropriate: Around this age, your baby will benefit from toys that help hone their fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination and problem solving skills. This includes toys that can be held, chewed on or manipulated in other ways. Toys with rattles and bells are great for introducing interesting sounds, too, while baby mirrors can be used for playing peek-a-boo and keeping their attention during tummy time. Blocks check off all three boxes as they can use them to stack, sort, chew on and manipulate.
Babies are often starting to babble at this age, and there are many toys for 6-month-olds that can help with their early language skills, too. One of the best ways babies learn language is when they are read to. In fact, the AAP recommends reading to your children every day. Because of this, books make great toys. Babies also learn via repetition, so toys that make a game out of repeating things are also great for learning. We made sure that every toy on this list is developmentally appropriate and helps baby one at least one skill, though we prioritized toys that can be played with in multiple ways to improve multiple skills.
Versatility: Because baby has many developmental milestones ahead of them, it’s ideal to get a toy that will remain interesting to them as they grow. We prioritized toys that can be used beyond the 6-month stage,such as an activity center that becomes an activity table or stacking cups that feature numbers on the bottom for learning to count.
Safety: Toys designated for children outside of your baby's age range could include small pieces that pose a choking hazard, so always make sure you’re buying items that are designated for their age category. Babies at 6 months old are putting just about everything in their mouths, so make sure that toys are large enough that they can’t swallow them. Also, avoid toys with loose or easily breakable small pieces that can become choking hazards, too.